Comfort in the Storm
by Gare-Devil99
Summary: Sick and tired of putting up with her father's stupid nonsense as usual, Helga decides to spend the night at Arnold's house while he's away on vacation with his parents. However, little does she know she's not the only one who's really bothered by something. Set sometime after TJM. Some Shortaki fluff!


**AN: **Hey guys! So this is my first fanfic I've ever written for the HA fandom, so hopefully I kept everybody in this little one-shot in character. After all, I'm not used to writing for it unlike my other fandoms I've written about. And yes, it does take place sometime after TJM. But enough talk, on with the story.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Hey Arnold! All rights go to Nickelodeon/Viacom, and Craig Bartlett. **

* * *

_Your sparkling green orbs that shine so bright like diamonds in the moonlight,_

_Oh, how much my heart skips a beat whenever you're in my sight,_

_Your kindness and pure heart is always there to help chase away the pain, and make my truly awful life feel less lonely and blue,_

_Even whenever I feel like it doesn't need to,_

_Unlike the calm, warm summer breeze blowing through the grassy fields, and your bright yellow hair,_

_My love for you, Arnold, will always be there._

Helga G. Pataki quietly sat at her boyfriend Arnold Shortman's computer desk while writing some amazing poetry inside her small pink diary like she usually did during class or whenever she was alone in her room late at night.

Since Arnold and both his parents Miles and Stella were away on a weekend trip in the rainforest, she decided to come over his place all night in order to escape her so called father's stupid complaints about his stinking beepers not making any sells as usual.

It wasn't the first time she'd spent a night away from home, if she could even consider the Beeper Emporium to be her home.

The night before she stayed at her best friend Phoebe's house like she had done so in the past. Phoebe didn't mind her best friend's company though. After all, the two deeply cared about each other like they were sisters. Even if Helga was pretty strict and often took advantage of her whenever they came into contact.

The youngest Pataki usually didn't have any trouble whatsoever when it came to writing poetry. No, she could very well spend countless hours scribbling word after word down at her own desk during school hours, or at recess time when the other students were out on the playground.

Yes, she was definitely quite the little poet that was certain. If only her so called family and loser classmates were aware she truly did hold so much incredible talent underneath her tough tomboy like personality.

Tonight, however, she found it a little difficult getting her thoughts down on paper. The heavy rain and thunder rumbling frequently outside really wasn't helping with her sudden writer's block, nor were the unpleasant sounds coming from the rest of the boarders downstairs.

She pressed one hand against her cheek, listening to the rain pelting down the glass roof above her. Well, at least the flowers, gardens, and grass got a good drink from all this precipitation. Heck, some people actually enjoyed being out in a rainstorm like this.

''C'mon, Harold. Let's get out of the rain. We don't wanna catch a cold or the flu out here.'' Patty chuckled, raising their umbrella over his head to keep him from getting wet.

''Aw, but I'm having so much fun, Patty! Can't we stay out a little longer?'' He pleaded, not wanting to stop his childish fun. ''Can we?''

''I would listen to your girlfriend if I were you, Pink Boy.'' Helga teased with a smug grin after opening up Arnold's bedroom window to butt in on their conversation once she heard their voices outside her private thinking space.

''Unless you wanna risk getting struck by lightning, that is. Wouldn't want ya getting badly hurt, right, Pheebs?''

Phoebe chuckled at her best friend's sarcastic attitude while holding onto Gerald's hand. ''She's right, Harold. It's not safe. Besides, Mr. Simmons wouldn't like to hear you've gotten sick from being out here in this gloomy weather just from splashing around in muddy puddles.''

Harold grumbled staring up at Helga inside the boarding house. ''Alright, Madame Fortress Mommy! Somebody can forget about getting anymore Wrestlemania tickets from me. C'mon, Patty. Let's go.''

Gerald shook his head as he watched the young couple leave together hand in hand. ''Mm-mm-mmm! Never thought I'd see the day where Harold, of all people, would find true love. We'll see ya later, Helga.''

"See ya when I see ya, Geraldo. Later, Pheebs."

Once her classmates had left, Helga then closed the window shut behind her, and went back to her seat in a huff.

"Ugh, stupid rain. Honestly, how can the stupid football head not be bothered about having a glass roof? I mean, what if there was a possibility of his room becoming waterlogged by all the rain? Beats listening to Bob's stupid ranting. Seriously though, how many times must I tell him those dumb beepers are useless?! Criminy!"

Helga finally slammed both her pencil and fist down on Arnold's desk in frustration causing it to jump slightly from the vibration. The sound of her father's demanding voice echoed nonstop inside her young frazzled mind like a tape recorder stuck on repeat.

_Why can't you be like your sister, Olga? She's a real champion and you're nothing but a failure!_

She wasn't sure how much more she could take. All this pressure from her no good father, along with living in her sister's shadow was becoming far too much to handle. Okay, so she may be able to brush it off like it was no big deal on the outside, but deep down just seeing her perfect older sister get all the love and attention from both her parents actually cut her like a knife. Leaving behind permanent scars carved deep inside her heart that will never fully heal.

It truly did made her feel the exact same way she had felt in her nightmare about how everyone's (even the only friend she's ever had, and the boy she loved dearly with all her heart and soul since early childhood) lives were much better with her absence.

Invisible, forgotten, abandoned, an unwanted mistake. Like her heart was shattered by a wrecking ball at lightning speed.

"When will the guy EVER listen?! When we're completely homeless out on the streets, and he's bankrupt? Oh sure, he would listen to Olga if she ever brought up the idea about using cell phones as a replacement. Why must he like always favorite her over me? At least she and Miriam even NOTICE my existence most of the time. I mean, I'm not invisible, Bob! Geez! Oh, I'm a failure? May I remind you that I was the one who actually helped save Arnold's parents and those Green Eyes from the sleeping sickness. Show me some gosh darn respect already!''

Her sudden rant soon came to a halt when she eyed her beloved heart-shaped locket lying across from her. Tears of intense anger and deep sadness slowly rolled down her face landing onto his once shredded photo with a gentle splash.

"Oh Arnold, my love. If only you were here right now beside me. Maybe you'd be able to help calm me down with your annoying optimistic ways. Oh, how much my heart aches when you're not around. Why do I always have to make things so freaking complicated between us?" She asked herself with a tiny whisper, holding the little golden heart close like she usually did during her rather impressive and well thought out monologues.

"After all the most thoughtful things I've ever done just to make you happy, why must I still act the way I do? What? Was my long overdue confession on that rooftop, or our kiss in San Lorenzo not enough to get me to change my old ways?"

Helga slumped over on the desk with a defeated sigh, frantically wiping the tears away with her sleeve once they started seeping out. Finally, after what felt like an eternity she had her one true love, her sweet prince, the only one who acknowledged her existence since the very beginning. Without him, she would've been lost and all alone in the world that sad miserable day.

Yet, she continues with her old mean stubborn behavior when out in public. Pushing away every single chance she gets to turn over a new leaf.

The other students at P.S.118 may view her as bossy, mean-spirited, the girl who always worn a scowl, or heartless. But, behind closed doors Helga was a totally different person. She was actually very poetic, emotional, loyal, and super brave.

"Looks like Bob's stubbornness finally rubbed off on ya, Helga old girl. Whether you like it or not. Okay, try to control that temper of yours. I know, why not just try listening to some music on your phone. After all, it seems to work well with other people when they are feeling stressed, or need inspiration. Guess it's worth a shot. What have you got to lose?"

However, just when she was about to put on the headphones she'd packed inside her suitcase to drown out her surroundings with some upbeat rock music, Helga suddenly heard a little whimper coming from behind her. She quickly swung around to face his bed. With a small sigh, she got up to investigate.

Kneeling down on the floor and pulling back the covers, she spotted her true love's beloved pet pig Abner hidden underneath the covers quivering in fear. His bright yellow eyes staring up into her deep pools of blue.

"Abner, what are you doing hiding in Arnold's bed? I thought you were downstairs with the others. The storm scared ya, huh?"

As if to answer her question, a sudden bright flash lit up the whole bedroom, followed by a loud crash of thunder. Abner's ears immediately shot up and he squealed in fear, covering his eyes with his little hooves while he quivered like a leaf.

Although Helga's relationship with the pig still wasn't the best, she was finally beginning to open up towards him a little more. Sure, she would still become rather annoyed with his antics. Especially that one time he'd dragged her into a mud puddle, and tangled them both up with his blue leash.

Arnold could only laugh at the site before him and help her out once he snapped a quick photo of his two best friends on his phone first before doing so, much to Helga's annoyance.

"Hey, it's okay, Pig. It's just a little thunder and lightning. Nothing to be afraid of. Heck, I once walked to preschool in a storm like this. Yep, this old girl is tough as nails." She replied with a proud smile, petting his head gently.

Abner slowly uncovered his eyes once he heard his owner's girlfriend talking to him in a voice she wouldn't normally be using when communicating with her classmates or anyone else around her for that matter.

After a few more minutes of comfort, he finally came out from his hiding spot, and playfully licked her face. Helga couldn't help but chuckle a bit at his cuteness as he tackled her to the floor.

"Yeah, yeah. Glad you're feeling much better now, Abner. You know, maybe you're not so bad after all. At least you don't complain over anything. Unlike some people."

"Dagnabbit, Oskar! Give me back my sandwich!" Phil's voice suddenly bellowed from downstairs.

"And clean up all those checkers you've spilled over the floor while you're at it!"

"C'mon, grandpa! I'm hungry, and it was an accident." Oskar whined childishly like he usually did when things didn't go his way.

"Go make your own dang sandwich already, you lazy bum! I can hardly read the stinking newspaper in peace!" Ernie yelled out, pounding his fist down on the kitchen table out of frustration.

"Yeah, and please stop complaining already! It's getting very annoying." Mr. Hyunh added.

"Now boys, let's not fight. We have a very special guest upstairs. We don't wanna cause Eleanor any discomfort." Gertie chimed in with her cheerful tone.

"Little too late there, Pookie." Phil muttered under his breath, keeping a sharp eye on the con man sat down across from him.

"Hopefully, Shortman's little friend doesn't mind all this tomfoolery."

Helga scoffed, listening to the outrageous uproar coming from the kitchen before turning her attention back at Abner.

"See what I mean?"

* * *

"Hey, thanks for taking care of Abner while I'm away, Helga. Much appreciated. I hope he and the others weren't too much trouble." Arnold chuckled over the phone during his phone call with Helga later that same night.

"We all know what Oskar is like."

Helga rolled her eyes in annoyance. She was now sat back on Arnold's bed wearing her purple nightdress, going back over all her secret Arnold footage she kept on her laptop. Abner now laid there curled up beside her fast asleep. The storm outside now calm, and the rain became much lighter than it once had been moments ago.

"Oh yeah, the guy sure does whine a lot. That idiot didn't know I was highly allergic to strawberries, and tried poisoning me with his stupid strawberry jelly donuts he'd stolen right out of the fridge while I was downstairs just now. Trust me, I would've hit him over the head with a wrench inside your grandpa's toolbox, but I didn't wanna make a bad first impression on your family. No wonder his wife left his sorry behind. He and your grandpa were getting into it not too long ago over some dumb crap."

Typing something into the keyboard using her other hand, Helga sighed deeply once she heard them argue once more. This was gonna be a long night. "And here I thought Harold, or my blowhard dad could be pretty darn obnoxious. Yeah, everything's just peachy around here besides those two fighting. Some family you got there, Football Head."

"Yeah, that'll never change. Luckily, I've gotten used to it over the years. Anyway, I also just wanna say thanks again for saving my parents while in San Lorenzo, along with helping me save the neighborhood from being demolished by Scheck. Looks like you truly do have a pure heart after all, Deep Voice." Arnold joked on the other end of the line.

"You know, you should definitely try and show your bravery and loyalty more often. I've never seen you strike somebody in the head with a stapler until now. I thought it was very brave."

Helga smiled a little; her cheeks flushed a deep shade of pink. "What can I say? Helga G. Pataki isn't so heartless after all. I can't take all the credit. I mean, if Brainy hadn't found my locket after I tossed it overboard then I wouldn't had been able to help save your parents. The kid may be a total creep, but at least his heart was in the right place. Kinda makes me feel bad about punching him so much."

She nervously rubbed the back of her neck. "Arnold listen, about how I once treated you in the past...well, I only did it to help keep my big secret safe. I'm not the best with feelings, I know. Plus, I had a reputation to keep, doi! By the way, if you and Geraldo ever read through my personal thoughts again you'll both get a visit from Old Betsy here. Got it?"

Her boyfriend chuckled in amusement. "Whatever you say, Helga. And it's okay, I understand that now. After all, you told me all about your therapy session with Dr. Bliss while we were out on a little summer evening stroll throughout Hillwood after our class field trip to San Lorenzo. You even told me the time when you kindly gave up your snow boots one Christmas just so Mr. Hyunh could be reunited with his long-lost daughter."

He smiled while thinking back on the sweet, emotional, heartwarming Christmas memory. "Guess Gerald was right after all when he said I probably had a Christmas angel watching over me. I think that was a rather sweet and thoughtful thing you've done, Helga. Oh, and my parents say hi and wanna thank you again for saving them."

She lay back on his pillow, gazing up at the skylight. "Yeah, well, your happiness was far more important to me then some old pair of boots anyways. Tell them I said hi back, and really it was the least I could do."

He paused before speaking again. "Hey, Helga?"

"Yes, Arnold?"

"Never thought I would actually hear myself say these words, but I-I love and miss you. Good night, Helga."

"Way to be such a sap, Football Head. Bravo!" She teased with a slow hand clap, only to face palm at her old self seconds later.

"Love and miss you too, Arnoldo. Good night."

Boy, this new interesting relationship was definitely gonna take some getting used to.


End file.
